The aim of the present work has been to examine the abilities of mercury of anthropogenic origin to migrate into the soil profile. The above phenomenon have been evaluated by compa-ring mercury content in the surface soil layer (0-20 cm) to its contentin the bedrock (70-100 cm). The studies were carried out in the premises of a plant that applies mercury in the tech-nological processes and has not solved any issues related to waste management.
The studies were situated in the southern outskirts of Warsaw in the premises of a plant that has produced mercury thermometers, areometers, mercury transmitters and some types of laboratory glass for about 50 years. In the close vicinity of the plant there are no other signifi-cant sources of pollution.
The present studies proved that about 50 year long activity of a plant that used mercury in the production processes contributed to soil pollution with this element. Mercury conent in the surface soil layer (0-20 cm) ranged from 1.30 to 940.00 and in the 70-100 cm layer from 1.88 to 412.00 mg·kg-1 in the soil dry mass.